Optimization Editor

The Athens Land Trust’s effort to expand the mission of its Williams Farm project has run into some friendly challenges, and requests for more information, from the Athens-Clarke County Planning Department and the county’s planning commission.

The in-town farm, spanning 5 acres from Ruth Street to Northside Drive near North Avenue, is now hosting a vegetable garden, allowable under the county’s zoning ordinance because the property has historically hosted agricultural activities.

Expanding the scope of the Williams Farm will, though, require a rezoning of the property from its current residential classification to a residential-planned development classification. That proposal remains under review after the requested rezoning was tabled last week at a planning commission meeting. The unanimous tabling was based in large part on concerns expressed in a planning department report on the proposed change. The tabling was accepted happily by representatives of the Athens Land Trust, who attended the Thursday session.

Briefly, the Athens Land Trust plans to turn the farm into a broader agricultural enterprise by, among other things, introducing various farm animals to the tract, turning the existing farmhouse into an educational and event space, and adding a new driveway, a parking area, new greenhouses and a new pole barn to the acreage. Over time, the vision for the tract, in addition to growing affordable food products, is to become a model of sustainable agricultural practices and an employment opportunity for at-risk youth and low-income residents.

Among the concerns of the planning department staff and the planning commission are the numbers of animals that might eventually be on the site, and whether the parking proposed for the site would be adequate to handle special events, like farm-to-table dinners, that would be hosted on the farm.

Despite concerns expressed in its report, the county planning staff noted that it was “not opposed to the proposed uses in general” and recognized “that there appears to be minimal community concern,” but went on to say that the staff “still aims to use an abundance of caution in the review process.”

The planning commission echoed that sentiment, with Commissioner Jeff Scarbrough calling it a “great project” but with “a lot of things I think we’d like to get a tighter definition of.”

Commissioner Paul Dellaria noted that there were “a lot of little things” that needed attention, “too many to fix from the floor here.”

In a Monday interview, Athens Land Trust Director of Operations Heather Benham said the tabling of the rezoning request, which will have to go to the county commission for final action if it is approved by the planning commission, doesn’t represent a significant delay for the Williams Farm project. According to Benham, full development of the Williams Farm could be a three-year process, and much of that process will depend on the amount of revenue generated by the farm.